AFGHANISTAN
The Afghanistan Civil Service Commission has reported a 5 per cent increase in the number of women working in Government Departments.
Chair of the Commission, Ahmad Nader Naderi said the total had passed 27 per cent, compared with 22 per cent in 2017.
“Capacity-building, learning new skills, the active support of the Government , easing the appointment process and organising written tests for vacant Government posts have all helped women to play a greater role in Civil Service Departments, and in the administration of our country,” Mr Naderi said.
“Last year has been the best year for women in terms of being recruited to Government’s institutions.”
He said in past years women had played prominent roles in the education and health sectors.
“Now, increasingly, the opportunity has been provided for them to work in different fields and different levels of management,” Mr Naderi said.
He said he believed women would eventually comprise 50 per cent of public sector employees — “as it should be”.
However, Mr Naderi said this would not happen, and things could go backwards, without adequate Government support.
“We can see the threat of a rollback in different areas including in politics, in the talks for ending the war or in social and cultural obstacles and limitations which are facing women,” he said.
Mr Naderi noted the concern of women’s rights activists about concessions over women’s roles in peace talks with the Taliban.
Kabul, 12 March 2019
